This is an issue I raised before in the ARF forum and almost got blasted with rotten tomatoes. I brought up the incident where Jim Ross lost his finger tip when taking tach readings and the whole firewall of his ARF departed, the prop then merrily took off his finger with extreme prejudice.
I know some guys don't have the time to build, but I have always had a mind-set that this hobby is about making time to do it, otherwise don't bother.
Instant gratification is nice at a fast food joint when you desire a whopper, but not when the whopper can remove digits or limbs from your person due to a lack of ketchup.
I do believe ARF's have a place in the hobby, and a big one nowadays, especially when it allows guys who want to learn to fly, and just don't have the natural skill to build. Building does require a certain level of God given talent that unfortunately some people just don't have. That's when it is up to us builders to really help them out as much as possible to ensure that their ARF's are safe before they venture into the wild blue yonder.
As builders, it is our mandate to more or less cheer them on to go into the hobby as far as possible, and try to urge them into building some day, instead of degrading them so they build up a chip on their shoulder, thus balkanizing the local club and the hobby itself.
All I can say is that ARF's are great for a beginner who knows absolutely nothing, and wants to learn. It is important I think for us to help get them into the air, and at the same time, cheer them on and teach them how to build.
Building truly is an art form to itself. One that can be learned, but also requires a certain level of talent.
Another problem though, is that with ARF's, even though we spend time inspecting before they fly, we can only inspect about 20% of the airframe, the rest is covered, so we are out of luck.[] We just have to do the best we can do.

I for one, will never trust a poor slave in some 3rd world Asian country to build my plane for me. Sure, I'm all for a global market place, that's what capitalism is all about, thus spreading freedom along with it. With engines, parts, and materials, fine. But, with manual labor building my plane, FORGET IT!!! I would like my body to stay in one piece, thank you. If I lose finger, at least I will have the inclination to be angry with myself, and not looking to file a lawsuit to blame someone else. It sounds morbid, but provides a certain level of peace of mind.

Patriot